Spiking setter, hidden dragon
by Arien Halfelven
Summary: Just a moment of press conference after a very important battle. Oikawa Tooru has lost to Karasuno.
1. Setter

**Thanks to Ula, who did beta-reading with no idea of Haikyuu, volleyball and angry teenagers. Chwała Uli!**

 **All my knowledge and opinions of that fandom are anime-based only. I apologise for any harm I might have done to the manga details.**

 **The (almost) sole purpose of this fanfiction is to deflate Oikawa's ego. So – Oikawa's fans and defenders – please, don't kill me on the spot and don't drown me in your just and legitimate hate. I felt like deflating something, and Oikawa Tooru has an exceptionally enormous ego, he won't suffer too long.**

 **SPIKING SETTER, HIDDEN DRAGON**

 **SETTER**

Oikawa Tooru was both the strong player and crowd's favourite mascot, so all his matches ever since his second year gathered a number of sport press reporters, preparing data for Oikawa's future undoubted career file. That day wasn't any different, where it came to the interest of journalists – a group of photographers and other people came to record the event and now they circled the triumphant setter, asking for commentary and snapping picture after picture.

Only it was not Oikawa Tooru who had won the day.

He kept his stand at the right side of the winner, sad and beautifully tragic figure: losing to younger and less experienced players despite so much effort. He made a perfect photo subject, handsome, bright and brilliant volleyball star – next to the tired and overwhelmed winner, he managed to look as much more worthy of praise and interest. But still, aside from asking Oikawa about his feelings and plans after the defeat, reporters directed all the microphones to the other boy, despite his compact, angry wording and scowl, unbecoming a sport star. But it really was the Karasuno Team, who won the day.

Kageyama Tobio won the day.

Oikawa Tooru really regretted not breaking his rival's ugly, savage face in the middle school. Why was the life so unfair?! He had all the qualities that made him a front-runner and favourite. He worked hard and earned every bit of success himself, and this success was sure his right as the most glamorous player. At the middle school and ever since then, Kageyama remained infuriating, antisocial and laughable growler. Today he had come effortlessly and unfairly to the position, which should be only Tooru's own. In volleyball! It was Tooru's element, not Tobio's: playing the team into the perfect mechanism supporting the main star in the bright way to the glory of ace. It was Tooru's greatest strength, the ability to manoeuvre his own players and the opposite team in the way he wanted them to act. Kageyama Tobio was not even able to look at the people that surrounded him on the court: he kept his dark, obsessive eyes fixed on the ball and the volley. He believed he could manage the play by himself, all angry at interfering players. So wrong! There was so much stubbornness in Tobio, way too much to let him bend and support others. He would never support Tooru. He couldn't see how volleyball was all about using people to gain the desired result, to manage them into the perfect promptness, to supply abilities of the ace players. And there was an ace chosen already. Oikawa Tooru had it improved to the point of perfection, with himself at the front and others serving his strategies flawlessly. It took so much of his effort, even with his deep understanding of what this game was really about. And yet, here came Kageyama, with no understanding of team management, with no need of having his strength supported, with no sense of teamwork – and all the grace of genius setter. It was simply wrong and unfair that Kageyama should earn any place among the champions. Being the only proper champion and star, Oikawa persistently refused aiding in any way this inferior and uncultured boy. Finally, leaving the middle school, hoping for peace and success, he left Kageyama with no advice. Kageyama himself was a dumb waste of strength and there should be no place for likes of him on the court, obscuring the brilliant ways of Oikawa.

So unfair.

How did Karasuno manage to actually force this inflexible moron into some usefulness?! This team was a chaotic and brash crowd of rough newbies. It was a mess of a team.

So wrong.

Even now, after winning the match and defiling the perfect strategy of Aoba Josai, Kageyama was not even able to recount his success to the press. Monosyllabic words, angry huffs – was it the attitude that should distinguish the new celebrity of youth sport magazines? A couple more questions with Kageyama's growls of answers and every single reporter will admit that the true quality of this winner is pathetic.

One of the reporters had just hit the right nerve.

"At the end of the junior school, despite of the undoubted talent for the ball you have achieved no accountable success with your team. One might call your performance a catastrophe."

Oh, great. Just the right needle into Tobio's eye. Oikawa Tooru kept his smile brave and graceful as he waited for his rival's breakdown.

Kageyama Tobio felt too close to breakdown. He felt it growing since this idiotic press affair started and now his impatience reached the door to the explosion.

" _Kageyama, you look like 'KABOOOM, I'll wipe the hell's floor with somebody's heart right now'!", - Hinata would say_.

All the questions, flashes, attention – for Kageyama Tobio it was annoying, tiring and generally a waste of his time. They have won the match, they should discuss the strategy for the next one, analyse the record of Shiratorizawa's battle! No serious setter should let himself be stuck coquetting the press in the middle of prelims. Damn it all.

Smiling elderly reporter went two steps closer with the microphone.

"At the end of the junior school... No accountable success... Catastrophe..."

For a split second, the air around Kageyama seemed frozen, reporters ceased their talking and even the eye of the TV camera got bleak, reflecting only Oikawa's satisfied face. And in that second – Kageyama relaxed.

Just a bit.

" _BAKAGEYAMAAAA! WE DID IT!" – Hinata shouted somewhere in his memory. – "WE WON! HAAA! We're the best! Look where you took us, Bakageyamaaaaa!"_

Karasuno won. His Karasuno. What those people have asked about was the past. Past like: "never again" past. A flaw that has been cured. In the old days, he had failed his team just as his team had failed him. But it would never happen again.

Reporters were still obtrusive nuisance though.

"How did it happen? Why in Karasuno?"

What the hell should he tell them?! Was it not obvious?! Why couldn't they understand?! It was not something he would know how to put in words. Even the dumbass Hinata understood.

Especially him.

"I..." , Kageyama hesitated, "I have developed?"

Oikawa waited in place, his smile just a bit crooked by now. Somehow, his undignified rival has managed to stay calm, but his eloquence hasn't magically improved, of course. Well? Isn't it the right time to realise the uselessness of this interview with an ugly, sulky mutt when they have a star around just temporarily subdued?

Oikawa waited for his time.

Kageyama wanted to run off, find Nishinoya-sempai, Hinata, Tanaka-sempai, all the others and to toss them balls until they would all be sweaty, happy and united, with no need for speaking and explaining things so obvious and primal. But it wouldn't do – not for press conference. No teamwork effort could save Tobio now. So, he decided, teamwork aside now, the decoy was needed. In a game he would call Hinata for that and Hinata would never fail to jump to his hint. But – that was a press conference. So, Kageyama decided, Hinata aside now. Some more photogenic decoy was needed. He raised his head to look into the camera with something what he hoped was the face full of humility and gratitude.

"In Karasuno school, I have finally found a worthy role model! Someone to teach me and inspire me and show me the ways of volleyball setter!"

In Karasuno school?!

On the side, Oikawa paled a bit. Ungrateful, wretched mutt. Making it sound like he never had a role model before?! Speaking of his Karasuno affairs like nothing before mattered?! He himself, Oikawa Tooru, mattered the most! He has been shining with his abilities over this dark, gawky kid – and Kageyama has never even managed to understand his techniques! I was Kageyama's own fault and shortcoming, the mediocrity in all the areas where Oikawa excelled. They shared the fate. How dared this ungrateful brat to speak like it had no meaning at all?!

How dared he to not mention it?

Shocked, Oikawa watched the interview, unable to believe he meant so little to the person who was the most important bane on his entire, eighteen-years-old life.

Kageyama looked around to be sure everybody was listening. Well, Oikawa-san apparently did, and he glared at Tobio with some dark, angry pain in his eyes. Which was exactly his usual way of glaring at Tobio. So, Kageyama dismissed the whole thing and concentrated on creating his escape way from the press crowd. Just to be sure, he pointed at the right person with his finger.

"My sempai and team-mate, Sugawara Koushi!"

Sugawara totally had not seen this coming. So when it came, he reacted just as he would act with the unexpected ball flying into his face. He smiled and stepped into the game.

"Dear Tobio is definitely exaggerating my role in his evolution."

Warm, mother-like smile for Kageyama, shy smile for the cameras. And cameras apparently liked his smile. All relieved, Kageyama stepped aside, escaping the microphones and photo cameras. Now, that was better. And Suga-san wouldn't mind that trick, would he? Of course not. Thank you, Sugawara-san.

 _Damn you, Sugawara_.

Pushed off from the front line of attention, Oikawa ground his teeth. The gray-blonde boy attracted the press like a magnet. Sugawara! That back-line decoy strategist! He was a reserve player! A substitute from a bench! He managed some successful spikes somehow, but it was not even a proper setter's work! And this was supposed to be Kageyama's inspiration?! Oikawa never tried to credit himself with actually teaching Tobio any secrets of volleyball. He cut himself off from the boy, never pretending to be his tutor. Of course not. He did all he could to remain the only star shining in the team, in place beyond reach for any other setter. Kageyama was supposed to look at him from his dark corner and suffer, unable to emulate Oikawa's play. How dared he not even see him as a role model anymore?! Now he insisted on Sugawara being his mentor. A reserve player?! How could he be of any use, except for setting his bench as a springboard to elevate him higher? No sense, no real talent, no well-deserved achievements.

Ridiculous.

Sugawara Koushi worked with all his strength not to sound ridiculous. Judging by the increasing note-taking and recording from the press crowd, his statement wasn't too bad so far.

"Our team worked very hard to develop our individual abilities and improve our teamwork to the point where we could stand among champions of all the country. And so, we are now on the path to victory!"

"You have not had many chances to play as setter during this game though? Will you change your position permanently due to your colleague's superior talent?"

A shy, humble smile turned on just a bit cunning on the edges. Just sneaky enough to make a handsome, warm face a tad bit insidious.

"A spiking setter... It's not so unheard of in the volleyball world, is it? As a spiker and setter both, I get twice as many chances to win the point."

Spiking setter, reported noted on his phone. That might actually do for a nice headline, maybe? With a proper photo attached? He looked around to call his photographer, already busy snapping pictures of young and slightly blushing volleyball-player. The photographer took the hint and started to search for even better angle. He noticed Kageyama, jammed in the corner of the gymnasium, and he grabbed his arm to drag him closer to the other setter. They made a strikingly contrasted duo: tall, dark and sour Kageyama next to the light, warmly smiling and gentle Sugawara. Even so, somehow they made the appearance of standing in unison, seeming cooperative instead of competing with their differences. A very nice arrangement for the cover, perhaps? One shot after another, question after question.

"So, would you say you feel twice as valuable as Kageyama here?"

"I would never.."

"Sure you are twice as valuable, Suga-sempai!"

"Hush, Kageyama. You got it all wrong. Not only you are a better setter than me, but also there's no such thing as more or less valuable person in the team."

People standing closest to the boy frowned a bit and currently speaking reporter smiled tolerantly.

"So, you consider both of you as equals."

"We are the team."

Bright, confident smile.

"We are all equal."

"That is endearing, yet naive point of view..."

No smile anymore from Karasuno players – serious, determined faces, both similar in resolve despite the physical differences. They looked at each other. Sugawara spoke.

"We are the team. Equals in the team. And this. Is. Volleyball."

 _The team of equals. Volleyball as the team_. More and more headlines went noted into i-pads. The press decided to really like Karasuno's reserve setter.

Oikawa really hated Karasuno's reserve setter. The way he squinted his stupid eyelashes... Definitely annoying. Unbecoming of the team leader, having a formal press interview.

Sugawara was talking.

"I am no leader. Neither is Kageyama here."

Of course he was not. None of those two was fit to be the leader. And they were chosen by the press for the statement?! Just how unfair life could be?! Just how naive Sugawara was, with his lowly believes?!

"In the race, there's a leader. In the team, there's a captain. Daichi? Where...? Oh, Captain Sawamura run away from the spotlight. Of course. Because is such a shy flower, isn't he?"

"Daichi-san?!"

Imagining Sawamura as delicate flower made Kageyama Tobio laugh loudly and sincerely. He only laughed for a moment, before his face darkened again and he averted his eyes, embarrassed. But it was apparently enough for photographers to shot a picture or two of merrily laughing Kageyama Tobio.

Damned Sugawara made him laugh. Oikawa just couldn't understand that guy, being such a lesser and weaker player how could he just stand at Kageyama's side, smiling at him and just so apparently...

He liked him?

Sugawara looked at his teammate with sympathy and cordiality, as he actually liked the other boy. No hard feelings for being left behind, no animosity, or could he just hid his grudge so well for sake of cameras? No, Oikawa decided. He really excelled at evaluating people and he was sure Sugawara was not pretending anything here. How could he not hate this abnormality, this intruder, who deprived him of his position in the game?! Just as he deprived Oikawa of his victory? Unfair, so very unfair! Sugawara was on the winning side, he owed Kageyama gratitude for his fight, but he really should hate the boy for his unfair intrusion. Tobio has stolen his place – just as he did with Tooru's. Everybody should hate Kageyama for how he stolen Oikawa's fate.

"KAGEYAMAAA!"

From the side, and orange-haired tornado jumped right in the front of the crowd, seemingly uncaring about cameras and microphones. Hinata Shoujou run to Kageyama's side and grabbed his arm, jumping in enthusiasm.

"They did it! Kageyama! Suga-san! They did it! We're in together!"

Oikawa Tooru remembered very well and cherished every memory of his old team's contempt for the mighty King Kageyama. Nobody would come to his side – outside of the court or in the middle of the game, they would abandon hateful, arrogant setter and exclude him from the integrity of the team. Nobody would touch his arm in the cordial gesture, shake his hand or even stand beside him. Just as it should be. But Hinata Shoujou did nothing as it should be. Right now he kept nudging Kageyama and talking nonsense, as he expected this daft grouch to understand.

He apparently did. Kageyama understood every word and – approved?

"Great! This is so great! What a war it will be! Yess! You dumbass! You sure?!"

"Sure I'm sure!"

Sugawara's hands landed on two heads. Very gently of course.

"Calm down. Hinata-kun, what happened?"

Hinata's eyes shined with gold sparkles. Next to the dark, tall figure of Kageyama he looked like a compact ball of fire and energy. Apparently, cameras liked the contrast judging by more and more flashes around. The Dynamic Duo, they whispered to each other. The incredible combo. The setter and the spiker. Kageyama and Hinata. Whispers, notes, flashes.

Suddenly, Oikawa felt even more wronged. Something sour and painful was growing in his throat. It was just so incredibly unfair! Oikawa Tooru did all he could to cut Kageyama off from any proper volleyball. This boy's presence from the very first moment cast an ugly shadow on Tooru's carefully planned path. He never wanted Kageyama to have any part in his play. He knew better than trust this boy to follow his instructions – so he denied him any instructions at all. A whole team followed Oikawa just as he taught them to follow, they have abandoned Kageyama and his revolting amount of strength. Tooru worked so hard to erase any possibility of having that heavy, odious shadow again in his sight. It worked even better than he planned. As it came out, no decent middle school considered Kageyama Tobio a worthy prodigy after his failure. Oikawa dismissed him from his thoughts completely, only once or twice preening in the silence of his brilliant mind. Nobody took Tobio in after Tooru casted him out.

How very right.

There was no chance for Kageyama to find himself a strong enough club to ever cross path with Oikawa on his level. So little effort – and such a great outcome. Kageyama sunk in some mediocre crowd. So why was he standing on the top now, with his mediocre shrimp partner and mediocre, slurry sempai?

How very wrong.

Hinata Shoujou brought some happy news. Karasuno has won already, so what now? Oikawa listened, despite himself a bit curious of what made Tobio's eyes gleam so triumphantly.

"It's Nekoma!", Hinata shouted happily. "They won! They won!"

"A good news?", reporter asked, intrigued. "Your friends?"

"Nekoma High volleyball club", Sugawara explained. "Friends... Yes, they are our friends. But beside that... How does Tanaka call it... Ah. It's our destined rival. Apparently, they have managed it to the next level, just as we did. It's sort of a dream of ours, to compete with each other on the national level. Karasuno Team and Nekoma Team."

"And they did it! I just got a message! Kozume says they did it!"

"Yess!", Kageyama shook his fists triumphantly. "Yess! The garbage war arises again! Our destined rival will join us on the pitch! Yesss!"

"If they defeat Fukurodani... If we defeat Shiratorizawa...", Sugawara whispered behind them. Somehow, he didn't seem too pessimistic about that.

Oikawa hated that. Reporters kept taking notes, planning headlines and stories of destined rivalry, new garbage war between crows and cats, friendship and competition. What a rubbish! Garbage, yes. All this childish play was garbage and should not have place on serious volleyball press conference. The virtuosity of playing the players into the perfect machinery to support the ace was the only thing that real volleyball was about. There was a place for friendly competition, of course – in the sandbox! Whoever took stand on the other side of volley, become the obstacle meant to be overcome. Karasuno's sugary illusions made Oikawa's teeth ache. And yet – people applauded this fairy tale! Press swallowed it all, apparently delighted. Seriously! Sport reporters! Professionals! Wallowing in this childishness! Well, they will see what mistake it was. Readers will spit this nonsense back on those idiots. Nobody would want to read about Kageyama blandishing to this Sugawara weakling. Nobody would want to see Kageyama on the cover. Nobody would accept Kageyama's version of destined rivalry.

Nobody should.

Oikawa Tooru turned away from this spectacle. Behind his back, reporters kept asking questions about their plans.

"Of course we believe in our victory." Sugawara's mischievous smile suggested it's more than just a belief, more like a certainty. "After all, we still keep some tricks in our sleeves. And in our bench."

Oikawa looked behind his shoulder. Sugawara grabbed a ball and made a pose of setter, ball on the tips of his fingers – then a spiker's pose, arm stiff, ready to powerful hit. From the back of the room Yamaguchi Tadashi walked to find his teammates, but seeing the press crowd, he stopped. A few photo cameras managed to catch his blush.

"So", the reporter turned to Kageyama, "here you are, the crows, ready to face the cats of Tokio? Heading to the final battle?"

"Oh, no!"

Short-haired boy jumped in suddenly, head shaking. He kept making vivid gestures and grimaces. Reporters smiled at his energetic posture – cameras went further, TV recorder went closer.

"We", the boy was saying, "we are the crows from the name, but in our hearts, we are dragons, fighting to fly over the net! And Nekoma, our destined rival, is a tiger pack, hunting for the ball to drag it out from our wings! Our match is like the war of fates, dragons and tigers competing on the top! Our rivals are indestructible, but we will prevail, because we have the support of our beautiful managers!"

Kiyoko Shimizu, beautiful indeed in her silent fury, went to the front, grabbed Tanaka's arm and dragged him out of the room, smiling angelically to the cameras.  
"It's time to go!", Sugawara grabbed the other players and, bowing politely, they left the room. Reporters discussed the event for a while, taking notes. Oikawa waited at the door, waited for them to wake up to some serious game. To him.  
Nobody noticed.

He left, clenching his fists.

He ignored all press statements next day, next week, next forever. He hated every bold headline – which he didn't read at all.

He didn't understand. No, it was them who did not understand, who couldn't grasp the true mastery. But how could they let themselves be deluded by Karasuno's chirpy chatter? How dared Kageyama deny Oikawa's role as his model? Oikawa was Tobio's model, and only he himself should matter. How dared this disgrace of volleyball just – move on?

How dared he move on past Tooru?

He never even looked at those headlines. Not ever.

His team-mates did, though. Everybody did, as it seemed. Whispers kept rising all around.

"Junior player of Oikawa's former team?"

"Ah, his pupil? A setter's apprentice?"

"Oh, no such thing. He mostly ignored the kid."

"Oh? So, not so much of a wise master and powerful student thing?"

"He pushed him out to the bench, as I heard. Our Toruu does not bother with rival setters within his team."

"Ah."

"If he only had given him a damn, our Tooru, he would be shining right now as a dedicated tutor abandoned by his negligent student. But Toruu never bothered. So, goodbye fame."

"Be quiet, Kindaichi!"

"Bye-bye."

Of course he didn't bother. He got his path settled. But Kageyama was supposed to be bothered still, to relive his uselessness.

How dared he not to?


	2. Hidden badass

**... HIDDEN BADASS**

Sugawara Koushi read all the headlines. And articles, and statements, and notes. He protested, of course, but with no success. His team-mates made him read aloud every bit, especially about himself.

"Spiking setter, hidden dragon!"

"Crows vs. Cats, Dragons vs Tigers! Karasuno's ace from the bench!"

"Friendship and rivalry in volleyball club! Karasuno's crows supporting each other in the way to Nationals!"

"Setter vs. setter, the true spirit of volleyball!"

"Karasuno, the new power in the pitch!"

"Garbage war again? Karasuno Dynamic Duo and hidden weapon!"

"Guys, please...", Suga laughed as hyena, hugged by Samawura and Tanaka simultaneously, "No more hidden me, spiking dragons, rivalling setters! I beg you! Let's do some training for change...?"

"No, no!", Tanaka pulled the newspaper out of his hand and jumped on the chair, "Let's have a gallery! All faces of Suga-sempai!"

"Ah!", Daichi grabbed another paper, "Here, the hidden badass face."

"The face of gentle, yet strong sempai!", Tanaka wiped away the tear of affection.

"A genius from the bench! Here, on this photo, hidden behind Kageyama."

"But it's hardly a face."

"Give that back, Tsukki. Suga only shows his bicep and hip, but it's a very badass hip. And there's article about figure skating on the next page. Put Sugawara-san's hip next to Yuzuru Hanyuu's hip."

"You and your skaters."

"Shut up, Tsukishima! My sis fancies that Hanyu guy, too. One more! There's place for just one more!"

"Here, Sugawara Koushi, the mother-hen's face", Shimizu supported with another.

"C'mon!", Sugawara tried not to laugh, with no success again, "Why me?! Kageyama got more pictures!"

"You deserve all the attention!", Tobio bowed in front of his team-mate like in the emperor's court. "And you're prettier!"

Karasuno players laughed in unison, patting each other's backs and shoulders, hugging and cheering. On the front wall, the big picture of "SPIKING SETTER, HIDDEN DRAGON" blessed them with Koushi's smile.

"And now..."

"Now what?"

"NOW GO TO YOUR POSITIONS, YOU BAND OF HIDDEN FISHWORMS, OR I'LL..."

"AAA! Daichi-san! We're ready!"

"Look, captain, we already run!"

"Kageyamaaa! Faster! Faster!"

Captain and vice-captain stayed behind, exchanging warm glances.

"Go, captain Hidden Fury."

"Behind you, vice-captain Hidden Badass."

"Oh, c'mon, Daichi..."


End file.
